The injection moulding machine manufacturer Netstal-Maschinen AG (CH-8752 Näfels) was also succesful last year. The positive development in sales, orders and profitability of the company, which is a subsidiary of Krauss-Maffei AG (KM, Krauss-Maffei-Str. 2, D-80997 Munich), continued and even speeded up during 1994. The Netstal group increased turnover by 16% to SFr 192.8m (DM 231.36m). A combination of productivity increases and cost control measures has increased operating profit to SFr 9.5m (previous year SFr 5.1m). The order backlog increased by 35 percent to SFr 218.4m. In 1994 the AG achieved a turnover of SFr 131.4m and operating profit of SFr 7.5m. R & D costs of SFr 10m were significantly above average for the machine tool industry.

As Managing Director Dieter Klug explained to the press, Netstal has further strengthened its position as one of the leading manufacturers of machinery and production systems. Reasons for this include "consequent innovation management, interdisciplinary team work, close working relationships with customers and tool makers as well as manufacturers of handling equipment and raw materials". New applications have been developed and increases in market share have been won.

In Näfels they are also optimistic for the present business year. During the first four months of 1995 the volume of orders received has increased by 52% over the same period in the previous year to SFr 92.8m, turnover has increased 23% to SFr 60m and the consolidated order book has increased by 120% to SFr 93.7m. All in all Klug anticipates group turnover to reach SFr 230m this year and profitability to improve further.

READER SERVICE: Netstal annual report 1994 (German): PIE-No. 37835 – Publication "Netstal News" (English edition) No. 29, May 1995: PIE-No. 38007.